This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Brake systems, such as those found on vehicles, generally include a brake rotor and a brake caliper. The brake rotor rotates with a wheel of the vehicle and the brake caliper is fixed in place relative to the brake rotor. When the brake system is applied, the brake caliper squeezes the brake rotor to slow rotation of the brake rotor and thus the wheel. The brake rotor and the brake caliper are often formed of materials that become fouled over time as a result of environmental exposure. For example, metals are often extensively used to form these brake system components and exposure of the metal to water can lead to corrosion (i.e. rust). Further still, dirt, dust, smoke, and other foreign materials can foul the brake system. Environmental exposure often occurs when the vehicle is being transported by truck, rail, or vessel. Since new vehicles are often transported to the consumer over long distances, there is a need to protect the brake system from environmental fouling prior to delivery to the consumer.
Removable brake covers have been developed to temporarily cover the brake system of a vehicle during transport. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,552 entitled “Anti-Rust Cover For A Disc Rotor Of A Vehicle Disc Brake,” which names Shibatani et al. as the inventors, discloses one such removable brake cover that generally includes a convex sidewall configured to engage the brake dust shield of a brake system. A radially extending slit is also disclosed that extends across the convex sidewall to facilitate removal of the brake cover by tearing. However, in this design, only the brake rotor is covered by the brake cover and the brake caliper is left exposed. Another removable brake cover is disclosed in WO 2008/004977 entitled “Protecting Cover For Temporarily Protective Shielding Parts Of A Brake System At A Vehicle Wheel,” which names Pihl as the inventor. This publication teaches a brake cover including a disc-shaped sidewall and a circumferential wall that extends perpendicularly from the sidewall. A brake caliper pocket is formed in the sidewall and the circumferential wall such that both the brake rotor and the brake caliper are covered by the brake cover. Again, a slit or tear-line is provided such that the brake cover can be torn away from the brake system to remove the brake cover.
While these known brake covers perform their intended purpose of protecting the brake rotor and/or brake caliper from becoming fouled as a result of environmental exposure, there are several drawbacks to these designs. First, these brake covers are retained by the brake dust shield only, leaving a large portion of the brake cover free of attachment to the brake system. This is particularly true where the brake caliper is large, such as where the brake caliper houses many pistons or “pots.” With the ever increasing performance limits of tires and chassis, such large brake calipers are becoming increasingly popular. Accordingly, conventional attachment points that are limited to the brake dust shield make such known brake covers more susceptible to coming loose during transportation. Second, the retention performance of brake covers depends on proper installation. Installer error can cause the brake cover to come loose during transportation, resulting in exposure of the brake system to the environmental. A loose brake cover can also result in damage to the brake system and/or the vehicle should the loose brake cover become jammed in the wheel and/or brake system when the vehicle is being driven. Third, the brake covers disclosed in the aforementioned references are bulky and are not easily handled or shipped in large numbers. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved brake cover that addresses the drawbacks associated with conventional brake covers.